Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a disorder in which the sufferer is unable to maintain patency of the upper airway while sleeping. The cause is typically a decrease in muscle tone in the tissues of the throat, although the condition can also be triggered or aggravated by being overweight. Symptoms of OSA may include impaired ability to concentrate during waking hours, memory loss, narcolepsy and, if untreated for a long time, heart disease emanating from repetitive, transient hypoxias and increased pulmonary vascular resistance.
In recent years, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy has become a common prescription for individuals suffering from OSA and/or other breathing ailments. Such therapy may involve placement of a nose, mouth, or face mask on the patient during sleeping, while positive pressure air is continuously delivered to the patient through the mask. The positive pressure air may be delivered to the patient's upper airway to prevent the upper airway tissues from collapsing during sleep, thus reducing the occurrence and/or severity of OSA.